My son, a high school senior, turned 18 last week, and his first act as an adult was to register to vote. His new card just arrived, and it prompted us to have a conversation regarding the process of absentee voting, which will be necessary since he'll be in college for the next several years. I was very proud of his decision to register to vote, taking seriously his new responsibilties for active citizen participation. Yet, what of these new proposals here described--full names only, with only legible signatures? Is anyone seriously considering these ridiculous proposals? This is an extreme embarrassment that the Commonwealth of Virginia is spending precious taxpayer dollars on this absurd process. Moreover, it is infuriating when one considers that George H. W. Bush never signed his full name, nor did "Jimmy" Carter, nor most of the signers of the Declaration of Independence for that matter. I fear my son is entering adulthood just as our state, and nation, are becoming less democratic; however, I am confident that his one additional vote, joined with those votes of other concerned citizens, will help in the effort to increase voting rights in the years ahead, even if it involves voting out-of-office those currently in charge who attempt to limit the voting rights of others.